Vicarious Trauma Among Oncology Clinicians of Color

In the halls of cancer centers and community clinics, through infusion suites and private consultations, oncology clinicians bear witness to human suffering, resilience, grief, and hope. Intimate relationships form as patients navigate new diagnoses, recurrences, treatment adverse effects, or loss. Although this form of emotional proximity is part of what drew many of us to caring professions, it also exposes us to a form of secondary trauma known as vicarious trauma. For Latino clinicians and clinicians of color, these feelings are further complicated by the weight of structural and lived inequities—layers of burden that often go unspoken.

What Is Vicarious Trauma, and Why Does It Matter in Cancer Care?

We often hear the phrase, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Although that can be applicable to patients and caregivers, when it comes to those susceptible to vicarious trauma, the cup is not empty. It is overflowing.

Vicarious trauma in oncology is the process of developing emotional and psychological symptoms similar to those of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that develop after clinicians are repeatedly exposed to their patients’ trauma and suffering.¹ Used interchangeably with compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma even falls under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, definition of PTSD as a condition where individuals experience secondary trauma in their professional roles.

Oncology clinicians may experience these effects when they deliver a cancer diagnosis, update patients and families about ineffective treatments, or administer painful chemotherapy. The impact is further magnified by heightened fears among vulnerable communities, some of whom may feel unsafe leaving their homes to receive treatment.

Oncology clinicians bear witness to it all: uncertainty, pain, fear. But what happens when they have these experiences on both professional and personal levels?

The Quiet Cost of Compassion

When we examine vicarious trauma in Latino and other communities of color, we cannot separate individual experience from the structural, institutional, and policy forces that shape their daily realities. Risk factors for vicarious trauma include personal history and working with patient populations who experience trauma disproportionately.²

These communities often experience shared inequities. Although there is a prevailing assumption that Latino clinicians and clinicians of color possess the resources or skills to navigate these challenges, in reality, they are equally affected by them, which adds additional layers of stress.

Bridging Roles and Cultural Translation

Clinicians who share language, culture, or community with their patients often serve as powerful bridges, interpreting complex medical information (in more than 1 language), advocating, and contextualizing.⁴ For clinicians of color, the duality of caring for their community from within can heighten the emotional pull, making them more susceptible to vicarious trauma.

They are not just oncology clinicians; they are the link between patients and health systems that have not always served them well. Every encounter can feel personal, and each systemic barrier can resonate as both a professional frustration and a reminder of inequities that have long affected their own communities. When infrastructure or resources fall short, those clinicians often absorb the gap, taking on the emotional responsibility of “making it work.”

Internal Pressure and Representation Burden

Many clinicians of color feel they carry the responsibility of patient care as well as the unspoken pressure to represent their communities and prove their worth in professional spaces where they may still be underrepresented. This invisible load can often amplify the stress of emotional exposure, leading to continual self-monitoring and hypervigilance. As with PTSD, the effects of this vicarious trauma can manifest in many different ways and often include intrusive thoughts, thinking about clients’ experiences outside of working hours, and other emotional or behavioral effects.^4,5

Finding Space to Breathe

Healing from vicarious trauma starts by acknowledging the trauma, naming it, and giving it a voice. Once we do, we can begin to create space for conversation and care. This path to resilience involves accepting vicarious trauma as an occupational hazard and actively engaging in strategies that foster connection and self-awareness.⁵

Connection and Mentorship: Build upon your network of support and find community, especially among others who understand both your professional and cultural realities. Affinity groups, mentorship programs, and peer circles remind us that we are not alone in our struggles.

Reflective Practice: Try journaling after emotionally intense days or debriefing moments with trusted peers.

Moments of Meaning: Vicarious trauma is real, and so is vicarious resilience. This is what we call the growth we experience from witnessing patients’ strength. Take time to notice those sparks of hope: the laughter in chemotherapy rooms, the gratitude in a family’s thanks, the quiet victories that remind us why we do this work.

For clinicians of color, it is essential to remember that although their acts of advocacy and empathy for their communities can enhance patient outcomes, they also carry an invisible weight to already demanding roles. Sustaining this work requires acknowledgement, community, and care of their own. By supporting those who bridge gaps in care, we enable them to keep building a future of equitable cancer care for patients and their families.

References

1. Kim J, Chesworth B, Franchino-Olsen H, Macy RJ. A scoping review of vicarious trauma interventions for service providers working with people who have experienced traumatic events. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2022;23(5):1437-1460. doi:10.1177/1524838021991310
2. Ravi A, Gorelick J, Pal H. Identifying and addressing vicarious trauma. Am Fam Physician. 2021;103(9):570-572.
3. Morris SE, Tarquini SJ, Yusufov M, et al. Burnout in psychosocial oncology clinicians: a systematic review. Palliat Support Care. 2021;19(2):223-234. doi:10.1017/S147895152000084X
4. Dodds H, Hunter DJ. Culture as both a risk and protective factor for vicarious traumatisation in nurses working with refugees: a literature review. J Res Nurs. 2022;27(4):357-371. doi:10.1177/17449871221085863
5. Quitangon G. Vicarious trauma in clinicians: fostering resilience and preventing burnout. Psychiatric Times. July 26, 2019. Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/vicarious-trauma-clinicians-fostering-resilience-and-preventing-burnout